Bar Amor: the Spanish bistro at its best

Delicious salad special made with mache, jamón de pato (duck ham) and habitas (baby lima beans).

Bar Amor must have been wondering, "where did all the love go?", and I hope it hasn't kept them up at night.

Every time I go to dinner at this wonderful neighborhood bistro, tucked snugly on a corner in Madrid's epic Malasaña neighborhood, kitty corner from my old apartment - which incidentally was next door to a bar called Diplodocus that served a drink called Brontosaurus Milk -, I fall in love all over again and invariably spend the whole night raving rapturously to anyone who will listen about anything and everything. Then I take a bunch of photos, promise to write about it and then drink too much delicious wine and forget.

Let me rectify this immediately. I love this restaurant. The owners are charming and their place is a wonderfully restored old local that has maintained its original granite block walls and bricks, to which they then added beautiful dark wood and a new, retro tile floor. There is a tiny bar where just a few people can squeeze together and sit in the shade of the giant chalkboard that is covering one wall, and only space for around 20 diners. With its large windows open onto the street in the summer and the cozy warmth and gentle lighting in the winter, it's hard to decide which season is the best at Bar Amor - oh yes, that's right, all of them.

The menu is as equally well thought out and tasteful (or maybe tasty) as the decor, with a good balance between traditional Spanish favorites like croquetas, huevos rotos and salmorejo (all extremely well executed with contemporary touches),

A half order of ham and delicous boletus croquetas - we were feeling indecisive.

and more innovative ideas like the mango ravioli stuffed with foie gras and served with a PX reduction, or last night's special of a Wakame seaweed salad with radishes.

Photo doesn't do justice to the 'ravioli', which are actually thin slices of mango. On a side note, I really hate cutting mangoes.

Then of course there are other dishes that defy pigeonholing and are just well-cooked, honest and delicious. I really love the simple, delectable secreto Ibérico (pork belly) that is perfectly grilled and served with a sort of prune chutney and (on this occasion) sweet potato chips.

Whichever way your fancy floats, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this charming neighborhood restaurant. But should more convincing be needed, I will also mention the frequent use of excellent Spanish foodstuffs, such as anchovies from Cantabria, peppers from Lodosa, Cecina de Leon, etc. as well as the changing selection of locally made microbrews and a fantastically varied and well-priced wine list that contains a special selection of Madrid wines - my favorite of which is almost always the Tagonius Crianza.

Prices range from about 20-30 Euros a person for dinner with wine, dessert and lots of good food. It's tiny, so reservations recommended.

Bar Amor
C/ Manuela Malasaña, 22
Madrid, 28004
91 594 4829
www.baramor.es

Restaurante In Situ: in position to succeed.

I feel like it's been a while since I've gotten excited about a restaurant.

I'm not talking about a specialty restaurant, one that costs half your paycheck but creates an experience of a lifetime: eating gambas rojas (red prawns) straight out of the sea on a beach in Denia, or dining under the Michelin starlight; but rather a cozy neighborhood eatery that falls under the triumvirate of Spanish restaurant classification: Bueno, Bonito, Barato (good, pretty, cheap).
In fact, both times that I dined at In Situ, I not only found that prophesy fulfilled, but perhaps even exceeded.

Located on Madrid's Calle Valverde, between Malasaña and Gran Vía, the local itself is welcoming, with high ceilings, mismatched wooden tables and chairs, and a Swedishy, simplicity of lines, funky lamps and calming tones. A highlight is the large mural wall in the front room, painted and drawn over in a way reminiscent of chipping frescoes in Venice where humidity has taken its toll on the paint and imposed its own charming, faded pattern. This sounds strange, I know, but it really is lovely (you can catch a glimpse of it in the background of this photo). I wish I had a wall like that in my house. Up the small staircase, there are two back rooms with more tables. It may be slightly gloomier during the day, when the sun is cheerfully streaming in the restaurant's front window, but it is very cozy and romantic at night.

The food is a mixture of recognizable, international bistro fare, but each dish is prepared with its own arrangement of flavors and ingredients that makes it remarkably surprising: risotto with edamame, artichokes (real ones) and balsamic vinegar; sea bass ceviche with melon, alfalfa sprouts, pumpkin seeds and radish sauce; salmon in papillote with lime, ginger, cilantro and asparagus and raisin couscous; homemade potato gnocchi with sauteed fennel, crispy sage and shaved Idiazabal cheese; and the excellent roasted tomato and mozzarella salad with green olive romesco sauce. The dish in the photo, a creamy and flavorful foie mi-cuit, was accompanied by pumpkin jam preserves, nut bread and ground pistachios. Best of all, most of these carefully thought-out and equally as carefully prepared dishes are priced between 8 and 12 euros apiece - almost unheard of in the city these days. Both times I ate here I walked away paying just under 20 Euros, including wine.

My only complaint the restaurant's insistence in calling the whole thing "Fusion food" - oh for the love of anything sacred, when will that expression just die already?!!!  Your food is better than that, In Situ!

I digress. There is also a brunch menu on Sundays, which I have yet to taste although it looks promising (I am so tired of Madrid restaurants saying that they have brunch when often it is nothing of the kind, and then charging a fortune and serving industrially made muffins), because it opens earlier than most (at 11:30 - don't laugh, Americans), and the food is a la carte, with dishes like pancakes and delicious sounding scrambled eggs for around 4 or 5 Euros.

It's nice to finally have a neighborhood go-to again!

In Situ Restaurante
C/Valverde 40
Madrid
+ 34 915 226 845
www.insiturestaurante.es